00:00 Electricity prices are even higher in Metro Manila.
00:04 That's what the residents of Palawan are now demanding.
00:06 They bought electricity in November and they're saying it's going to be even higher in March.
00:11 That's why they're now asking for a vote in Congress.
00:14 Bernadette Reyes is on the phone.
00:16 How can I get electricity for your electricity?
00:22 Suddenly double the price for both consumables.
00:25 That's the calvary that residents and businessmen in Palawan demanded this November
00:30 when the price of Palawan Electric Co-operative, or Paleko, went up to more than Php 14
00:35 from Php 7 before.
00:38 We haven't totally recovered from the economy.
00:41 It's affecting the business.
00:43 Even if it goes up, their service is still good.
00:47 Just kidding.
00:48 Electricity in Palawan is more expensive than in Metro Manila.
00:51 And it will go up again this March by Php 2 to Php 3 per kWh.
00:57 The power supply agreement between Paleko and PPGI will pass soon.
01:01 In order to get rid of the 7.2 megawatts supply of electricity,
01:05 they will buy under the Emergency Power Supply Agreement
01:09 that has no subsidy, so they will buy electricity again.
01:14 Actually, our Emergency Power Supply Agreement was signed on January 12
01:19 by one of our independent power providers for Php 15 megawatts.
01:22 Paleko appealed to Congress to return the subsidy for electricity
01:27 that they were given as an off-grid co-operative
01:31 or not yet connected to the country's transmission system.
01:34 The Energy Department said it's clear from the agreement
01:37 that if they buy electricity under the Emergency Power Supply Agreement,
01:42 they will no longer have the right to any subsidy.
01:45 But Paleko said they were forced to enter a new agreement
01:49 because the ERC stopped their purchase of the former electricity supplier
01:54 that has a subsidy.
01:55 Our original power supply agreement with Delta P
01:59 was stopped by the implementation of the Energy Regulatory Commission.
02:04 GMA Integrated News is trying to get the ERC's opinion on this.
02:08 The Energy Department said they will discuss if the policy should be changed.
02:13 The existing policy is non-entitlement to any form of subsidy.
02:18 We are revisiting the policy.
02:20 What should we do?
02:22 If we find that we have sufficient basis,
02:26 then the policy can be revised, amended.
02:30 The DOE also clarified that even if Paleko is off-grid,
02:33 they have a duty that they were not able to do,
02:36 so they will continue to buy electricity.
02:39 They did not conduct an appropriate competitive selection process
02:43 when the DOE issued its advisory way back in 2019.
02:48 For GMA Integrated News, Bernadette Reyes, Nakatutok, 24 Horas.
02:54 (Music)
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